Community Corner
🌱 How could Rapid City’s new AI rules and bond plan affect you?
Coming up: Tracy Lawrence: No Alibis Tour on the Rapid City Patch calendar

Good morning to you Rapid City! Catch up on our news and events right here. Keep reading to stay in the know. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- How could Rapid City's new AI rules and bond plan affect you?
- How could moving Rapid City's railyard change your daily commute?
- Which South Dakota stories are premiering at the Black Hills Film Festival?
Also on today's calendar: Stand-Up Comedy with Jayson Cross and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: What do you call a belt that is made of watches? 🤔 (Answer below!)
From our Partner
Today's Rapid City Patch AM is brought to you in part by T-Mobile - America's Best Mobile Network, according to Ookla Speedtest. Based on analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data 1H 2026. We thank T-Mobile for their support in helping to keep communities like ours connected and for making today's Rapid City Patch AM possible.
Find a T-Mobile store near Rapid City.
- Thursday: Mostly sunny and cooler, with a high of 65 and low of 45 degrees.
- Friday: Pleasant with plenty of sun, temps: high: 75, low: 53.
- Saturday: Mostly sunny and breezy, with a high of 70 and low of 47 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Rapid City Legal and Finance Committee review Artificial Intelligence policy for city staff (newscenter1.tv) — Rapid City's Legal and Finance Committee has advanced a new artificial intelligence policy for city staff and a $7.2 million supplemental appropriation, largely to launch the Rapid City Sports Complex fund. Members also explored refinancing Summit Arena bond debt through a tender offer that could save taxpayers over $2.2 million annually, with final decisions up to the full council on Oct. 5.
![]()
2. Rapid City Endorses Long-Term Plan to Relocate Railyard, Reduce Train Delays (kotaradio.com) — Rapid City's council has endorsed a long-term plan to move the rail yard east toward Box Elder, aiming to cut frequent train delays that snarl southeast Rapid City streets like Saint Patrick. The proposal would keep mainline tracks in town but reduce daily train traffic, with costs estimated up to $80 million and years of coordination and grant-seeking still ahead.
![]()
3. Black Hills Film Festival to showcase 20 independent films from SD and beyond at 17th annual event (newscenter1.tv) — Film lovers in Rapid City can catch 20 independent movies from South Dakota and around the world at the Black Hills Film Festival, running Oct. 2–4 at the Journey Museum. Six themed screening sessions, South Dakota–focused documentaries, filmmaker Q&As, and free Saturday panel discussions offer plenty to explore, with VIP and single-session tickets available online or at the door.
![]()
4. Madonna Whipple (chadronradio.com) — Family and friends in Rapid City and Pine Ridge are mourning Madonna "Donna" Florence Whipple Wilson, a horse-loving country girl who later made Rapid City her home. Services, including a one-night wake on Oct. 2 and funeral on Oct. 3 at the Old Seventh Day Adventist Church in the Payaba (#4) Community, invite all relatives and friends to honor her life and Lakota traditions.
![]()
📸 Around Rapid City
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Rapid City
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- Tracy Lawrence: No Alibis Tour →
Rapid City
Friday October 2
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Stand-Up Comedy with Jayson Cross →
Rapid City SD - 17th Black Hills Film Festival →
Journey Museum, Rapid City - 2026 Film Festival →
The Journey Museum, 222 New York St, Rapid City - Mines Volleyball vs. UCCS →
King Center, Rapid City - Oktoberfest →
Rapid City SD - Black Hills Works Foundation Annual Gala →
The Monument, 444 N. Mt. Rushmore Rd., Rapid City
5:00 pm - Versus Me +TBD →
The Park 707, 707 Mtn View Rd, Rapid City
6:00 pm - Versus Me +This Island Earth →
The Park 707, 707 Mtn View Rd, Rapid City
6:00 pm - Adult Volleyball →
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2822 Canyon Lake Dr, Rapid City
6:30 pm - Classical Conversations - Birds of Prey →
Vickie Powers Park, 940 Kathryn Ave., Rapid City
6:30 pm - Versus Me →
707 Mountain View Rd., Rapid City
7:00 pm
Friday October 2
📣 Rapid City Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Recently went axe throwing at iSmash, pretty fun!
Basically bowling, everyone sits around drinking beers, looking at the scoreboard, yapping, having a good time. Very easy recommend from me for… (Nextdoor E North/Lacrosse) - Z's Micro Bakery Stand will be out this Wednesday and Thursday from 7am till 7pm.
Muffin of the week is a Pumpking Coffee Cake muffin. Soft pumpkin muffins cinnamon sugar crumble middle topped with more cinnamon sugar crumble and a… (Nextdoor Copperfield)
- YMCA of the Black Hills posted a job opening for Associate Director of Marketing in Rapid City. Apply here.
- Wendy's posted a job opening for Team Member in Rapid City. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Rapid City here.
Ok Rapid City! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: A waist of time. (Thank you Martin L. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
👉 Help make Patch AM better
- Help us grow by suggesting local news sources.
- Shape this newsletter with your feedback.
- List items for sale or services offered
We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what's happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.